ROSELLE PARK, NJ — One of the most prolific scorers in Union County girls basketball history was to be on display, leading the Roselle Park High School Panthers in Union County Tournament play.
Sidney Smith, with a career total of 1,816 points going into her team’s Thursday, Feb. 5, out-of-county game at Bergen County foe Hasbrouck Heights High School, was looking to fill the hoop up again in a home UCT game against Rahway High School on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Smith, a senior point guard who dons No. 15, scored 43 points on opening night on Thursday, Dec. 18, when the Panthers opened their 2025-2026 season with a convincing 67-34 home win against Rahway in Union County Conference–Valley Division play.
In Roselle Park’s division game at Rahway on Tuesday, Jan. 20, Smith netted 19 points in a 60-32 Panther triumph.
After pouring in a game-high 34 points in her team’s 58-56 setback at Hasbrouck Heights, Smith followed up with a game-best 30 points in Roselle Park’s 65-14 home UCT win against Rahway on Saturday, Feb. 7.
That put Smith at 1,880 career points going into the scheduled home game vs. Jonathan Dayton High School on Tuesday night, Feb. 10. Smith’s quest to become Roselle Park’s first and Union County’s next girl to reach 2,000 points continues.
The 50th annual girls basketball Union County Tournament commenced with the Rahway at Roselle Park game and is scheduled to conclude with the final on Sunday, Feb. 22, at Kean University’s Harwood Arena in Union.
The UCT final has been at Kean since 2011. It was at the Thomas Dunn Sport Center in Elizabeth for many years before moving to Roselle Catholic High School from 2006 to 2010.
New Providence High School, the top seed again, defeated Westfield High School in the 2025, 2023 and 2022 finals. New Providence’s only other championship came in 1990.
Westfield, the second seed, beat Governor Livingston High School in the 2020 title game for its second crown and first since 2008.
Roselle Park, the 14th seed this year, was to play at third-seeded Union Catholic High School in one of the eight Wednesday, Feb. 11, first-round games that were scheduled.
The quarterfinals on Saturday, Feb. 14, and the semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 18, are scheduled to be played at Arthur L. Johnson High School’s Lou Peragallo Gymnasium in Clark.
50th annual Girls Basketball
Union County Tournament
Seeds: 1-New Providence. 2-Westfield. 3-Union Catholic. 4-Plainfield. 5-Arthur L. Johnson. 6-Cranford. 7-Scotch Plains–Fanwood. 8-Roselle Catholic. 9-Elizabeth. 10-Oak Knoll. 11-Governor Livingston. 12-David Brearley. 13-Summit. 14-Roselle Park. 15-Union. 16-Linden.
17-Kent Place. 18-Jonathan Dayton. 19-Rahway.
Preliminary Round
Saturday, Feb. 7
Roselle Park 65, Rahway 14
Monday, Feb. 9
18-Jonathan Dayton at 15-Union
17-Kent Place at 16-Linden
First Round
Wednesday, Feb. 11
Top side of the bracket
17-Kent Place/16-Linden at 1-New Providence
9-Elizabeth at 8-Roselle Catholic
13-Summit at 4-Plainfield
12-David Brearley at 5-Arthur L. Johnson
Bottom side of the bracket
18-Jonathan Dayton/15-Union at 2-Westfield
10-Oak Knoll at 7-Scotch Plains–Fanwood
14-Roselle Park at 3-Union Catholic
11-Governor Livingston at 6-Cranford
Quarterfinals
Saturday, Feb. 14
At Arthur L. Johnson
Noon and 1:30 p.m.
5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Wednesday, Feb. 18
At Arthur L. Johnson
6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Final
Sunday, Feb. 22
At Kean University
Frank J. Cicarell
UCT Girls’ Basketball
Champions
2025 – New Providence
2024 – Elizabeth
2023 – New Providence
2022 – New Providence
2021 – No UCT because of COVID-19
2020 – Westfield
2019 – Patrick School
2018 – Roselle Catholic
2017 – Patrick School
2016 – Cranford
2015 – Patrick School – first time
2014 – Roselle Catholic
2013 – Governor Livingston
2012 – Governor Livingston – first time
2011 – Roselle Catholic
2010 – Roselle Catholic
2009 – Roselle Catholic
2008 – Westfield – first time
2007 – Scotch Plains–Fanwood
2006 – Cranford – first time
2005 – Scotch Plains–Fanwood
2004 – Scotch Plains–Fanwood – first time
2003 – Roselle Catholic – first time
2002 – Abraham Clark – first time
2001 – Union Catholic
2000 – Union – first time
1999 – Summit – first time
1998 – Union Catholic
1997 – Elizabeth
1996 – Elizabeth
1995 – Elizabeth – first time
1994 – Linden
1993 – Linden
1992 – Union Catholic
1991 – Linden – first time
1990 – New Providence – first time
1989 – Union Catholic
1988 – Union Catholic
1987 – Union Catholic
1986 – Union Catholic
1985 – Hillside – first time
1984 – Plainfield
1983 – Plainfield
1982 – Plainfield
1981 – Plainfield
1980 – Plainfield
1979 – Plainfield – first time
1978 – Mother Seton – first time
1977 – Union Catholic – first time
1976 – Benedictine – first time
Championships
Union Catholic (8)
Plainfield (6)
Roselle Catholic (6)
Elizabeth (4)
New Providence (4)
Linden (3)
Scotch Plains–Fanwood (3)
Patrick School (3)
Governor Livingston (2)
Westfield (2)
Cranford (2)
Benedictine (1)
Mother Seton (1)
Hillside (1)
Summit (1)
Union (1)
Abraham Clark (1)
Photo Courtesy of Staci Hartzler
